Weaving Nature: Projects Blending Culture, Science & Art

Nature enthusiasts, do-it-yourselfers, parents and teachers, this section is for you. Below are some of my favorite plant fiber art making experiences with young people.

These are hands-on projects that immerse students into culture, science, and art. Most of these projects can be adapted to be less complex for 1st and 2nd graders, more complex for 3rd and 4th, and so on, right through to adults who are ready to expand their brains with hands-on learning experiences.

This March, through the support of IslandWood and it's generous donors, I will be editing and sketching away, to create a publication for you who love to make things with the gifts of the plants that grace this landscape. Keep in touch!

This May as an Artist in Residence at IslandWood, I enjoyed sharing my appreciation of the Western Red Cedar tree with many students from the area. Young people ranging from fourth through sixth grades came from North Beach Elementary, Emerson K-12,The Evergreen School, Emerson Elementary, Adams Elementary, and The Brighton School. During their four day, […]

About Melinda

Thirty years ago, while sitting on the beach playing with my young children, I made my first basket out of a pile of willow trimmings someone had tossed there. The experience of weaving with the materials at hand while being together with my sons on a beautiful Pacific Northwest shoreline, kindled a passion for creating art from natural plant materials. I thank my family, my community, and all my teachers for cultivating this gift in me.Read More